The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title built on Unreal Engine 4, exhibits a performance profile that is heavily dictated by GPU load, with the CPU playing a significant but secondary role. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, using data from the provided database. The results show a component pairing that is capable of delivering a smooth experience at high settings in 1080p and 1440p, but which struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with the most demanding presets.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior of this combo reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate is 160 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 135 FPS, a 15.6% reduction. The jump to 4K Low yields an average of 106 FPS, a further 21.5% drop from 1440p. This steep decline as pixel count increases is the classic signature of a system limited by the graphics card's fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The pattern holds across other settings. With Medium settings, the transition from 1080p (100 FPS) to 1440p (84 FPS) represents a 16% decrease, and the subsequent move to 4K (66 FPS) is a 21.4% decrease. The High preset shows a similar trajectory: 72 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p (a 16.7% drop), and 47 FPS at 4K (a 21.7% drop). The consistency of these percentage drops across different presets strongly suggests that the scaling is primarily a function of resolution, not of specific rendering features.

The data indicates that the RTX 5070 is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU is powerful enough to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but as the pixel workload increases, the GPU’s compute units and memory subsystem become the bottleneck. The most demanding scenario, 4K Ultra, produces an average of only 38 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience. In contrast, the 4K Low result of 106 FPS shows that the hardware has ample headroom when the graphical load is reduced, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average frame rate is 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 115 FPS. This indicates a very smooth and playable experience at this configuration.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with the Ultra preset?

A: The performance is the weakest in the measured set, with an average frame rate of 38 FPS. This is likely to be considered too low for a comfortable gaming experience, as it falls below the 60 FPS target for many players.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more likely to be the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data strongly suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, frame rates drop by roughly 15-20% per step, regardless of the preset. This is a classic indication of a GPU-bound workload, where the graphics card's rendering capacity is the primary constraint.

Q: What is the best settings preset to achieve a 60 FPS average at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 60 FPS. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 84 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 48 FPS. Therefore, High is the most demanding preset that still meets the 60 FPS average threshold.

Q: How does this combo's performance rank among all other tested CPU and GPU combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 483rd out of 2911 total tested combinations. This places it in the top 16.6% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a high-performing pairing overall.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1920x1080?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 160 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers an average of 57 FPS. This is a substantial performance cost of 103 FPS for the higher visual fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This processor is a high-end desktop part, as evidenced by its 93rd percentile ranking against all CPUs in the database. Its multi-threaded capability is substantial, as shown by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216, while its single-core performance is also strong with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to manage the game's logic, physics, and rendering thread. The game is known for its dual-world mechanic, where two environments are rendered simultaneously, which can be demanding on the CPU. However, the benchmark data suggests that this specific CPU is not the bottleneck in most scenarios. At 1080p Low, the frame rate hits 160 FPS, which is a very high value that suggests the CPU is able to keep up with the GPU's output. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in frame rates at lower resolutions, which is not the case here.

The processor's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is beneficial for the game's single-threaded tasks, while its 20 cores provide ample resources for background tasks and any multi-threaded game systems. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache is also a healthy amount for a modern game. The data indicates that the CPU is more than capable of supporting the RTX 5070, and that the overall performance ceiling is set by the graphics card. The CPU's performance is not a limiting factor in this pairing, as the GPU is consistently the primary constraint across all tested resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a rank of 483 out of 2911 tested combinations for The Medium. This places it in the 83.4th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms more than four out of every five other combinations in the database. This is a strong result and confirms that this is a high-end pairing capable of delivering a premium gaming experience for this title.

To contextualize this rank, the CPU and GPU are both individually high-performing parts. The CPU's average benchmark score is 64640, which places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score are the AMD EPYC 4464P, which is 0.3% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which is 0.3% faster. The GPU's average benchmark score is 40377, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 580, which is 0.1% faster, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile, which is 2% slower.

The combo's rank of 483 is a result of this powerful CPU and GPU working together. The fact that it ranks in the top 17% confirms the hardware's capabilities. However, the specific game performance is not solely determined by the component's raw power. The game's engine and optimization play a significant role. The data from the measured FPS shows that even a top-tier combo like this can struggle with the most demanding settings at 4K, which is a reflection of the game's heavy GPU requirements rather than a deficiency in the hardware itself.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo is exceptionally capable. The Low preset yields an average of 160 FPS, offering an incredibly smooth experience. Medium settings reduce this to 100 FPS (with a minimum of 85 and maximum of 115), which is still excellent. The High preset delivers 72 FPS, and the Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 57 FPS. All of these are playable, though the Ultra preset is close to the threshold where some players might notice a slight lack of fluidity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the strain of the increased pixel count. Low settings produce an average of 135 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings drop to 84 FPS (with a minimum of 71 and maximum of 97). The High preset achieves an average of 60 FPS, which is exactly the target for many gamers. The Ultra preset, however, falls to 48 FPS, which is not ideal for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset is the only one that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 106 FPS. Medium settings are playable with an average of 66 FPS (with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 76). The High preset drops to an average of 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of only 38 FPS, making it difficult to enjoy the game at this setting.

This breakdown shows a clear hierarchy. The sweet spot for this combo is 1440p, where it can handle High settings comfortably. At 1080p, it can easily handle Ultra settings. At 4K, the user must make significant compromises in settings to achieve a playable frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's resolution and performance priorities.

For a 1440p display, the High preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 60 FPS, which is the standard for a smooth experience. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 84 FPS, which could be preferred by users with high refresh rate monitors who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The Ultra preset, at 48 FPS, is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

For a 1080p display, the Medium or High preset is recommended. The Medium preset provides an average of 100 FPS, which is excellent for high refresh rate gaming. The High preset offers a slightly lower average of 72 FPS but with better visual quality. The Ultra preset, at 57 FPS, is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The Low preset at 160 FPS is only for users who want the absolute maximum frame rate.

For a 4K display, the Low preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 106 FPS. The Medium preset, at 66 FPS, is playable, but the user will have to tolerate a lower visual quality setting. The High and Ultra presets, at 47 and 38 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a comfortable gaming experience. The data suggests that this hardware is not well-suited for high-fidelity 4K gaming in this title.

In summary, the best experience is achieved by targeting 1440p with the High preset. This provides a balance of visual quality and performance. For users with a 4K display, the Medium preset is the highest quality that is still playable, while those at 1080p can enjoy the High or Ultra presets with ease.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the primary driver of performance in The Medium for this combo. It is based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus. This provides a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s, which is ample for the game's textures and geometry. The GPU has a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz.

The GPU's role is to manage the rendering pipeline, handle the pixel and vertex shading, and apply the visual effects. In The Medium, the game's fixed-camera angles and heavy use of lighting and shadow effects place a significant load on the GPU. The data confirms this, as the frame rate scales almost linearly with the resolution. This is a clear indication that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors at higher resolutions.

The GPU's performance is strong for its class. It scores 29137 in the Passmark G3D benchmark, which places it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, is 0.1% faster in average benchmark score. However, in real-world gaming, the RTX 5070 demonstrates its capability. At 1080p, it can easily push over 100 FPS on most settings. At 1440p, it can handle the High preset at 60 FPS and the Medium preset at a very smooth 84 FPS. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor at these resolutions, as the game's memory footprint is well within its capacity.

The only area where the GPU shows its limits is at 4K resolution. The high pixel count demands more from the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth than it can provide at the highest settings. The drop from Medium (66 FPS) to High (47 FPS) at 4K is substantial, showing the significant cost of enabling higher-quality effects at this resolution. The Ultra preset at 38 FPS is a clear indication that the RTX 5070, while a powerful card, is not designed to handle the most demanding settings at 4K in this specific title. The data suggests that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck in this pairing, and its performance dictates the playable settings at each resolution.